Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) issued an official statement after videos posted by a Toyota Innova Hycross owner from Bihar went viral on social media, clarifying that the problem was caused by contaminated fuel and not by the use of E20 petrol.The controversy started after Bihar-based YouTuber Manish Kashyap shared two videos claiming that his Toyota Innova Hycross developed engine problems after refueling with E20 petrol. In the videos, Kashyap claimed that the hybrid MPV, which had covered around 12,000 km, started showing symptoms like engine vibration, knocking and behavior like a breakdown. In response to the allegations, Toyota said the Innova Hycross is fully compatible with E20 gasoline and has been designed, tested and certified for ethanol blended fuel.In its official statement, the company said: “We have noticed a customer video currently circulating on social media in which he is said to have had problems with his Toyota Hycross vehicle due to the use of ethanol blended fuel (E20). We would like to emphasize that the Toyota Hycross in question is an E20 compatible vehicle that is designed, tested and certified for the use of E20 fuel.”Toyota added that a detailed technical inspection concluded that the problem was the result of fuel contamination rather than the ethanol blend itself. According to the company, no damage was found to the vehicle’s fuel system or any of its components.The automaker said that as part of its standard service procedure, the fuel tank and fuel lines were thoroughly drained and cleaned before the vehicle was refilled with standard E20 gasoline. After the trial, the Innova Hycross was inspected, found to be functioning normally and returned to the owner.“Therefore, it is clearly apparent that this incident is not related to the use of E20 fuel and was only caused by non-standard and contaminated fuel,” the company said.Toyota also advised customers to refuel only at authorized and reputable fuel stations to minimize the risk of fuel contamination or adulteration. In addition, he urged customers to rely on official science-based information and to contact authorized Toyota dealers or customer service for any concerns related to their vehicles.In his videos, Kashyap recorded the inspection process at a Toyota service center, where the fuel tank had been removed from the vehicle. He showed several fuel samples collected from different parts of the fuel system, highlighting the visible differences in their color and appearance while questioning how the contamination had gotten into the tank.Kashyap also said that he had chosen the hybrid version of the Innova Hycross by paying around Rs 5 lakh more than the standard model as an environmentally conscious decision. However, he argued that if an E20-compatible vehicle develops such problems despite using the recommended fuel, owners do not have to bear the consequences.He also stated that a service center representative suggested that warranty coverage could become complicated if the problem was related to contaminated fuel. Kashyap questioned this position, pointing out that the fuel cap of the Innova Hycross clearly says “Up to E20 Petrol” and argued that customers should not face additional costs for problems that arise while using fuel in the specifications recommended by the manufacturer.
